


naturopathy and lycanthropy: a field guide

by pansyseed



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gay Male Character, Gen, Pillow Fights, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28878279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansyseed/pseuds/pansyseed
Summary: Hermione learns not to judge a book by its cover.thanks to my lovely friend erik for the prompt!! <3
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	naturopathy and lycanthropy: a field guide

Hermione sat, legs crossed, in the fading plush armchair, book in hand. Non-fiction, a book about the wizards of indigenous tribes in the Amazon Rainforest. It made use of some… unfortunate, she would say, vocabulary, but otherwise seemed to be mostly accurate when she compared it to the other books she’d found on the subject, and sensitive to the differences in these people’s societies. Draco had recommended it to her when she’d mentioned she was interested in learning more about race and magic.

Speaking of, Draco lounged on the settee across from her, reading as well. Their afternoon teas every Sunday tended to end up this way: sat in comfortable silence, reading.

The jacket on Draco’s book indicated it was a piece on alternative treatments for lycanthropy. It figured, Hermione thought, considering his profession. Ever since they’d started to become friendlier he’d been steadfast on his opinion that Healers should never stop learning. Being the frontrunner in lycanthropic medicine, it tracked that he would spend his time examining possible treatment methods.

She had noted, though, when he’d first procured the book, that the dust jacket seemed ill-fitting. It was loose, a bit tall, overall slightly too big for the volume it held.

“Manufacturing defects,” Draco had said. “Even wizards can’t help but screw up occasionally.”

Hermione couldn’t recall seeing it on any other wizardmade books, but she had known some screw-ups who were wizards, so she couldn’t argue.

With the issue fresh on her mind again, she looked over at Draco, unable to help smiling at her friend’s face of concentration. He was engrossed in the book, and it showed. His eyebrows knitted together, the hand not holding the book rested over on his mouth, and his eyes moved as quickly as hers did when she read. When he was reading something he couldn’t get into, he’d shift every few minutes, his restlessness with the writing translating into physical restlessness. But he hadn’t moved from his position for what was nearing an hour.

Her eyes flicked down to the book in his hand, just momentarily at first, but then went back when she saw something peculiar. The jacket, improperly made as it was, had slipped off the front cover of the book, revealing what was printed directly onto it. That wasn’t…

She rested her book—pages downward, to hold her place—onto the arm of the chair, and walked over to Draco. He only noticed Hermione’s presence when his book was being pulled from his hand, and by then it was too late.

Of course the dust jacket didn’t fit properly. It wasn’t even made for that book.

It was a  _ Muggle _ book.

A Muggle  _ romance _ book.

“ _ The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl _ ?” Hermione asked, clearly amused. “Barbara Cartland? Really, Draco?”

Draco’s face flushed bright red.

“I mean,” Hermione continued, “I’m all for reading many different types of literature. But to hide it with—” she paused, checking the jacket, “ _ Naturopathy and Lycanthropy: A Field Guide _ ? I can’t believe you!”

“It— I—” Draco stammered, “Well, I couldn’t just  _ openly _ read a  _ Barbara Cartland _ novel! I don’t believe the Dashing Dukes genre is very well received by wizards, you see.”

“ _ Dashing Dukes?! _ You’re not even reading about a prince? Of all the romantic fantasies historical romance offers, you chose a  _ duke? _ ”

He seemed newly indignant, seeking to justify his choice of book. “Actually, I’ve already read all of her books that have princes  _ or _ kings in them.”

Hermione blinked. Suddenly, she was unable to hold back the uproarious laughter bubbling up in her throat. I mean, honestly, he thought his reading  _ more Barbara Cartland _ was a  _ defense? _ If Draco had just been forthcoming about his interest in the romance genre, she would support it, of course! But to hide behind medical research? How long had he been doing this, and with how many books?!

She took the dust jacket off fully to examine the blurb on the back cover. “Oh, of course. I’m so sorry to have doubted your relationship with… Larentia and Duke… his name isn’t even on the back.”

Draco huffed. “Justin Garon.”

“Duke Justin— his name is  _ Justin?! _ I feel like I don’t even know you!”

“Well  _ I  _ didn’t name him! Besides, there’s actually a secondary relationship that has a  _ far _ better love interest, and his name is Har—” Draco froze, suddenly, visibly aware of the implications of what he was about to say. His face reddened further than seemed possible as he saw the bemused expression on Hermione’s face.

“His name is what? What’s his name, Malfoy?” She poked him playfully in the stomach. “Is  _ Harry _ a more desirable name than Justin?”

Draco’s expression flattened when he finally stood from the settee. He held his hands behind his back, straightened his shoulders, and raised his nose. He was a carbon copy of his younger self, all false pride and arrogance. Hermione nearly started to panic; how much had she upset him if he was acting like this? They’d been friends for a few years, and this…

“Well, Granger. I’m afraid you’ve sealed your fate.”

Hermione opened her mouth to question this sudden coldness, but was met with a face-full of pillow.

She squealed, allowing herself to start giggling, too, when she saw the smile break through Draco’s stoney expression. Though her pillow-armed assailant didn’t stop his assault, it was increasingly clear that there was no real malice behind it. Though they’d started off roughly as children, Draco truly was one of Hermione’s closest adulthood friends. She was glad a few jokes about his… questionable taste in literature weren’t enough to put an end to that.

“I’m gonna kill you with this pillow,” Draco fought the amusement in his voice as he spoke, “and no one is going to believe it was me because I didn’t use any magic.”

Hermione summoned a pillow of her own and retaliated. “Bring it on.”

**Author's Note:**

> kinda proud of that summary ngl
> 
> i love comments!!! i try to respond to every comment i get, so if you have something to say i'd love to hear it!!


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